Automatic bullet puller



Feb. 7, 1961 w. K. WICKS AUTOMATIC BULLET FULLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 10, 1958 William K. Wicks INVENTOR BY ya 1M AT'T RNEY Feb. .7, 1961 w. "K. wlcKs AUTOMATIC BULLET FULLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 10, 1958 INVENTOR Fig.4

William K. Wicks Jwwww mm. a a 1 5. m L PHMLIIL LM T HM W E z L a 7 1 17 Q M W 5Q mww 5 6 M B B WQM ATTORNEY i Unite States The present invention relates to an automatic bullet puller and has for an object the provision of a device of this kind which is capable of being adjustably mounted on a conventional type of bullet reloading tool or cartridge reworking device without the necessity of making any changes in the conventional tool or device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bullet puller in which the clamping device will be spread by the upward movement of the cartridge upon the initial operation of the bullet reloading tool for receiving the bullet therein and in which the clamping device will be automatically forced into tight frictional engagement with the bullet upon subsequent movement of the bullet reloading tool.

A further object of the present invention is to provide ai device of this character in which an indefinite number of bullets may be pulled from their cartridges or shells without dismantling the bullet puller and without requiring any adjustments of the bullet puller.

The present invention aims to providea bullet puller which includes means for mounting the bullet puller upon a conventional bullet reloading tool in adjustable relation thereto so that the one and same bullet puller may be used for cartridges of different calibers.

It is well known that a large numer of rifle shooters as. well as those who shoot pistols and revolvers have atent made it a practice and sometimes a form of hobby to These users of firearms amateurs as well as professionals so that the bullets are separated from the shells in a speedy and eflicient manner by 'a relatively simple operation by the use of a device which comprises a minimum of parts.-

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the inventi-on will be hereinafter more fully described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims. In the drawings in which the same parts are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved bullet puller constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustrated as applied to a conventional bullet reloading tool,

Figure 2 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the bullet puller in its bullet engaging position,

Figure 4 is an exploded side elevational View of the imgrqy d bulle Pu l Figure 5 is a sectional view on an enlargedscale taken on theline 5-5 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a sectional view on anenlarged scale taken on line 6-6 of Figure 3, I

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the gripping device, and

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of a modified form of gripping device.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and especially to Figure 1, A indicates generally the bullet puller of the present invention and B generally indicates a bullet reloading tool or cartridge reworking device to which the bullet puller has been applied. The bullet reloading tool B is shown secured to a work table or other support 10 by fastening elements 11 which may be in the form of conventional bolts and nuts. The tool B comprises a substantially semi-circular portion 12 having the end of one arm 13 provided with a screw threaded bore 14. A flange 15 extends from the semicircular portion 12 and rests upon the work table 10 and the bolts 11 extend through the work table and the flange 15. Formed integrally with the semi-circular portion 12 is a substantially cylindrical body 16 having a bore or passage 17 extending the length thereof. The front of the cylindrical body 16 is cut away at 18 whereby communication is had from the exterior to the bore 17. A rod-like member 1? is provided within the bore 17 and is movable therein. The upper end 20 of the rod 19 is adapted to accept and hold the end of a cartridge 21. A flat elongated member 22 is pivotally secured to the lower end of the rod 19 at its lower end. The fiat elongated member 22 extends from within the cylindrical body 16 through opening or cut away portion 18 to the exterior thereof. The exteriorly disposed end 23 of the member 22 is pivotally attached toa member 24 as at 25 which itself is plvotally mounted on a pin 26 carried at the lower end of the cylindrical body 16. A handle member 27 is provided on the pivotal member 24 whereby said member 24 can be rotated about its mounting on pin 26. Pivotal movement of member24 by handle 27 will effect longitudinal movement of the rod-like member 19 upwardly and downwardly within the bore 17 of the cylindrical body 16 by reason of its connection therewith through the linking elongated member 22.

The bullet puller A comprises a base member 28 which may be made of tubular steel or steel casing and is provided with a lower reduced end portion 29 provided with exterior screw threads 30 for reception by the screw threaded bore 14 of the tool B. A lock washer or nut 31 encircles the lower reduced end portion 29 of the basemember 28 and is provided with interior screw threads 32 for engagement with the screw threads 30 on the end portion 29. A set screw 33 extends through a suitable screw threaded opening 34 formed in the lock washer 31 for retaining the washer in its adjusted position on the reduced end portion 29 of the base member 28.

The base member 28 is provided with a through bore or passageway the lower end portion of which, that is, the portion 35 which extends downwardly from the point 36 to the lower open end of the reduced end portion 29 is of uniform diameter which is slightly greater than thediameter of the largest cartridge to be handled by the device. The upper end portion 37 of the passage way of the member 28 is downwardly tapered from the open upper end of the member 28 downto the point 36. The upper end portion 38 of the member 28 is of reduced outside diameter and is exteriorly screw threaded as at 39 for engagement with the interior screw threads 40 of an upper member 41'which may be made of steel casing. The uppermember 41 has a through I bore or passageway 42 of substantially iiniforni diameter and the upper end portion of the member 41 is interiorly screw ,threaded as at 43 for receiving a top plug 4-4 provided with exterior screwnh reads d whicharere'oeived by the screw threads 43. The'plugd is provided with a through passageway 46 the lowerieiid portion of which.

i s-ot enlarged diameter so as to 'providea downwardly facing angular shoulder 47.

- An adjustable abutment 48 has its upper end heldin engagement with the shoulder 47 by a coil spring 49. The abutment 48 has an external collar 50 adjacent its lower end which provides a downwardly fac- "drical portion 55 which is of substantially uniform outside diameter'and has a bore orpassagew'ay 56 of substantially uniform diameter.

V The lower end portion of the gripping. device 53 comprises a plurality of spring fingers: 57. which are joined to the lower part of the'upper portion 55. ot the gripping device 53by a neck portion58. The outside diameter of the neck portion 58 is of less diameter than the outside diameter of the upper portionSS andthe neck portion 58 has a through bore or passageway 59 which communicates with the bore orpassageway 56 of the portion 55 but is of lessdiameter than the bore 56. The spring fingers 57 are provided by forming four slits 60 in the lower end portion of the gripping device 53 as can be seen more clearlyfrom Figure 7- of the drawings. It will be noted that the slits 69 extend up into the neck portion 58 for substantially halfof the length of the neck portion so as to impart more flexibility to the gripping'fingers 57. Any desired number of gripping fingers may be provided and as shown in Figure 8 ofthe drawings, three such spring fingers 57' are illustrated and have been formed by providing three slits 60' in the lower end-portion of the gripping device.

It will be noted particularly from Figure 3 of the drawings that the lower free end portion of each finger 57 is bent inwardly or rather extends inwardly as indicated at 61 andthe inside face of each angular portion is concave or arcuate so as to properly engage the exterior surface of the bullet62 of the cartridge 21. The lower end or fingered portion of the gripping device 53 has a through bore or passageway '63 which com.- municates at its upper end with the passageway 59 of the neck portion '58 and at its lower end communicates with the opening 64 between the angled portion 61 of the fingers 57. The exterior surfaces of thefingers 57 are downwardly tapered as can be seen particularly from Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings.

In the use of the device, the lower end portion 22 of the base member 28 is screwed into the arm 1305 the tool B, the amount being determined by the size of'the cartridge which is to be reworked. This is previously determined and the lock washer 31 is set at the appropriate location on the lower end portion Ethanol locked there by means of the set screw 33. As shown in Figures l and 2 of the drawing a cartridge 21 is'inposition ready to be reworked, that is,ready to have the bullet 62 thereof removed from its shell or casing 65. To position the bullet 62 within the gripping fingers 57, the handle 27 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction to efiect an upward movement'or'dhe rod "19 thereby carrying the cartridge 21 upwardly until that portion of the bullet 62 outside of its casing isdisposed wholly within the lower end portions of the fingers S7 which will then firmly grip and hold the bullet. As'the cartridge 21 moves upwardly the bullet 62 enters the opening 64 between the angled ends of the fingers 57 and the upward movement of the cartridge .21 will cause the gripping device 53 to move upwardly against the action of the coil spring .9.. This upward movement will cause thefingers 57 te -move upwardly towards the enlarged portion of thetaper part-'37 of the passageway in the base member 28. This upward movement and the pressure of the bullet 62 against thedower ends of the fingers 57 will cause the fingers 57 to spread apart and permit the bullet 62 to enter therebetween. Continued upward -movement of the cartridge 21 will place the spring 49 under sufficient compression to force the fingers 57 downwardly. into the narrow portion of the taper 37 so that the fingers 57 will be forced inwardly-toward one another and will tightly grip thebullet62 therebetween.

As the movementof the handle 27 is reversed toot"- feet a downward movement of the cartridge 21 the bulleti 62 will be retained by the fingers 57 and the shell I or casing 65 of the cartridge which is now being moved downwardly will be separated from the bullet 62.'- The tightening or grippingaction of the fingers 57 is automatically-increased against the bullet 62 as the downward pressure movement of the shell is increased. This increased tightening action is caused by the automatic action of the coil spring 49 which moves the gripping device 53. downwardly into the narrow portion of the taper 37 thereby causing the gripping fingers to automatically tighten against the bullet 62 and to bring them to a permanent position against further downward movenieut while the shell 65 continues to move downwardly "by action of the handle 27, thus separating the bullet from the shell.

The first cartridge shell will now be removed. .from' the tool B and a second cartridge 21 will be positioned in the member 19 and the previously describedoperation will be repeated. This repeated removalof the bullet fromthe shell without dismantling the bullet puller can be easily accomplished as will appear from Figure 3 of the drawings which shows several separated bullets 62 being pushed in seriatum through the neck portion and the upper portion of the gripping device from which they will be moved through the passageways 54 and 46 of the abutment 48 and the plug 44 to be ejected from the bullet puller.

The tension imparted to the spring 49 may be varied by screwing the plug 44 into or out of the upper mem- 'spring 49 or permit the spring 49 to move the adjustable abutment 43 upwardly towards the outer end of the'member 41.

Two springs could be furnished with each puller, one for friction fit for pressed in bullets and aheavie r spring for crimped ammunition. Theme of the heavier spring would make it possible to get a firmer hold on the crimped bullets which of course will be harder to remove.

The lock washer 31 will be prc-set for the particular caliber of cartridge being worked upon so that there is no'danger that the gripping device will grip the neck of the shell instead of the bullet. The bullet puller A of the present invention is adapted to fit all conventional bullet reloading tools such as Pacific, C H Tools, Herters, Dunbar, Lyman and others.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiments of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted onlyby the scope of the following claims.

" What I claim is:

1. For use with a device for reworking a cartridge composed of a shell and a bullet including means to raise and lower the cartridge, a bullet puller comprising a casing provided with securing means adapted to secure the puller to the device in a substantially vertical position, said casing having a passageway extending from the lower end thereof the intermediate portion of which is downwardly convergingly tapered, a gripping device within said tapered portion of the passageway and extending thereabove for longitudinal movement therein, said gripping device having an opening in its lower end for reception of the bullet, the lower end portion of the passageway adapted to receive the cartridge when the means to raise the cartridge is actuated, said gripping device having spring fingers at said lower end, means in said passageway comprising a compression spring for holding said spring fingers in the lower part of the tapered portion of the passageway for yieldably resisting the raising of the fingers and adapted to be placed under progressively increased compression by the raising movement of the gripping device in said tapered portion of 20 the passageway so that when the raising movement of the raising and the lowering means is arrested and the raising and lowering means is actuated to move the cartridge downwardly from the passageway the spring due to said increased compression will also automatically move the gripping device downwardly into the lower narrow part of the tapered portion of the passageway to more forcibly v member detachably connected to said base member, and I means are carried by said upper member for adjusting the compression of said compression spring.v

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 474,302 Plummer May 3, 1892 609,140 Cleveland Aug. 16, 1898 2,389,372 Lea Nov. 20, 1945 2,438,797 Bagge Mar. 30, 1948 2552,772 Fasig May 15 1951 

